


Down From The Ivory Tower

by APermanentResidentOfTheFriendzone



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-14
Updated: 2019-09-14
Packaged: 2020-10-18 04:36:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20633192
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/APermanentResidentOfTheFriendzone/pseuds/APermanentResidentOfTheFriendzone
Summary: Two quarreling brothers find themselves at a crossroads...





	Down From The Ivory Tower

**Author's Note:**

> So, I'm back with this again. Honestly, it was supposed to be posted a couple days ago, but things kept happening that caused it to be deleted before I was finished. Anyway, hope you enjoy.

Elppans looked up as he walked up the steps, quietly sighing as he saw that they still had a ways to go. But even though he had sighed as quietly as possible, the low rumble of the action still made it's presence known in the painstakingly quiet atmosphere. Other than that sigh, the only other sounds that maintained a constant presence were the two sets of footsteps as they made their way up the staircase.

Elppans looked over at his brother, his hands bound together by steel links. It pained Elppans to see his brother in this situation again, but it pained him even more to see just how.......defeated he looked. This was hardly the first time Ksirb had attempted to cause chaos, and Elppans and Aetsen had thwarted him at every turn. But something about this time around just felt really off. Normally, Ksirb couldn't go up two of these steps without at least cracking a joke. Today, he hadn't said a thing. What had changed?

"You're awfully quiet, brother. Something on your mind?" he asked, trying to make some conversation. Ksirb looked down at his shoes, refusing to respond.

"I usually can't get you to shut up, brother. Something's wrong. What is it?" he pressed. Ksirb again, would not respond, only continuing up the stairs. Elppans huffed in frustration.

"Why won't you say anything, Ksirb? This isn't like you!" he shouted. Ksirb only slightly glanced up at him. Elppans let out another quiet sigh.

"I'm sorry." he murmured after a few moments. Ksirb's head snapped up.

"What?" he asked after an awkward beat.

"I said, I'm sorry." Elppans repeated. Ksirb looked confused.

"It......I-It's alright brother. It's hardly the first time you've shouted at me." he said uneasily.

"No, that wasn't what I meant. I just wanted to apologize for-" he paused, gesturing between the two of them. "-this."

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"I'm sorry that this: me marching you up these damned stairs to be tried has become the norm of our interactions. We spent our childhoods growing up together, Ksirb. We were there for each other through thick and thin. But now all we ever do is fight." he said sadly. "I'm sorry that this what's become of us." he added. Ksirb's face softened.

"It's not your fault, Elppans. We've always just been two very different people. We've seldom ever wanted the **same thing**." he replied with a sad smile. "I never really understood why you tried to change my mind every time this happens." he added.

"That doesn't mean I won't try, brother. I'll get through to you this time." he declared, grimly amused, although Ksirb just turned his head down again, suddenly dejected.

"If you ever get the chance." he muttered vaguely. Elppans wanted to ask what he meant by that, but one look at Ksirb's face told him he wasn't going to find out. So, he continued on, and they finally reached the top. He really needed to ask the elders why this one staircase was huge.

Aetsen was waiting for them at the top, hands on her hips, her right foot tapping quickly to display her impatience.

"About time." she grumbled " I've been waiting up here so long, I'm gathering dust." she said, making a show of brushing off her tunic. Hilariously, Elppans and Ksirb rolled their eyes at her at the exact same time.

"A goddess renowned for her agility getting frustrated by people slower than her. You're a born comedian, Aetsen." Elppans drawled. Aetsen huffed. 

"Whatever. Let's get going, already." she urged, gesturing toward the large door ahead of them. Sighing, Elppans left Ksirb's side and placed three large knocks on the door, then stepped back as the vibrations thunderously resonated off of the ancient, hollowed stone, waiting for the door to be opened unto them.

Ten seconds passed. Then fifteen. Then twenty. After thirty seconds, Elppans lost his patience. 

"Why won't they open the door?" he spluttered, turning to face Aetsen, who could only answer with a confused shrug.

"I was afraid of something like this happening." Ksirb said quietly.

"How are we going to get in? The door only opens from the inside." Aetsen asked. Elppans thought for a moment.

"Simple. I'll change that." he said, and quickly latched his hands onto one of the many crevices within the door, and began pulling on it with all his might. Ksirb scoffed. 

"Brother, I'll be the first to admit that your strength is on a scale of it's own legend. But this door is the first line of defense of our home, made to withstand any attack our enemies may bring. You're not going to be able to-" he was then cut off by a deafening crack of stone and steel. Elppans dragged the door to the outside, it's hinges groaning with the unexpected change, the deadbolts snapped in two.

Ksirb face-palmed. "All the stories we were told about that door....." he trailed off, muttering to himself. Elppans just grabbed Ksirb's shoulder and pulled him along. Aetsen trailed behind, utterly flabbergasted.

"How.....how did you....?" she tried to ask.

"Well, I just figured it might work since our enemies only ever tried to _push_ open the door." he said as he ushered Ksirb through the door.

The halls were deserted. No matter where they looked about on their way to the courtroom, they couldn't spot any of the other gods. Aetsen darted in and out of each chamber, only to come back having seen nobody.

You won't find them." Ksirb said absentmindedly as they approached the courtroom, though this did nothing to calm the other two. They entered, once again finding the courtroom empty. Even the high tribunal was nowhere to be seen.

"Where is the tribunal?" Elppans shouted. "Everybody's disappeared! Where in the worlds could they have gone?" he asked in despair.

"You shouldn't be so concerned, Elppans. You'll be seeing all of them again soon enough." said an unfamiliar voice from behind them. Turning around, they faced the voice's owner. 

He was a stout character, although in his capable arms he carried a hefty double-headed ax. He was dressed head-to-toe in armor, finely tempered steel and thick panels of leather. His auburn-coloured beard had been tied into a braid, and he wore a conical iron helmet, it's exterior marked with spots of deep purple.

"Ksirb....." Elppans began questioningly.

"This wasn't me, brother. I'm just as surprised as you." Ksirb denied quickly. The man laughed. 

"Ksirb? Please. He may have a taste for breaking the rule, but even he wouldn't have helped us do what we have already done. He actually tried to stop us, not that you'd believe it, but he didn't do it right, and disaster struck. He actually almost got someone killed." the man said.

"What are you trying to do? Who are you even?" Aetsen asked impatiently. The man only laughed.

"Who I am doesn't matter. What I represent however, does. I am one of the many leaders of the Magistrate, and I am here to tell you that the time of the gods is over. The world of man no longer has need of you, and the Magistrate has taken the matter of relieving humanity of your burden into it's own hands." the man rambled. Aetsen scoffed derisively.

"Yeah? You and what army, human?" she asked, tone dripping with sarcasm.

"This army." he replied, reaching into his pocked and pulling out a strange object. It was a dark, smoky orb, the very essence of the thing emanating evil as it pulsated int eh man's palm. Ksirb blanched.

"No." he denied.

"Oh yes, Ksirb. This is exactly what you think it is. The Magistrate is strong, yes. But even we needed help in defeating a civilization of gods. And in our search for aid, we discovered and ancient entity, one that has a history of bringing your people to it's knees." Elppans gasped.

"But......they were extinct! We were told they all died out!" he cried. The man shook his head.

"Life finds a way, Elppans. They are alive, and quite eager to finish what they started so many years ago." he said. He then brandished the orb.

"Would you like to say hello to them?" he asked, and without waiting for an answer, the man threw it to the ground between them. The orb shattered instantly, throwing the entire room into an ashen fog. Neither Ksirb, Elppans, nor Aetsen dared to move a centimetre the entire time, and when the fog cleared, there were now many more people in the room. Well, the term _people_ being used quite loosely.

Whatever madness that had brought these things that now surrounded them back from the grave had warped them beyond measure. The had been reduced to grey, clammy-skinned quadrupeds, darting about on all fours whilst making feral rasps in what seemed like hive-mind communication. In the same position he was before, the man stood, a devilish grin on his face, seeming very pleased with himself.

Backs together, Ksirb, Elppans, and Aetsen looked around the courtroom, weighing their options. Then, Elppans and Aetsen shared a glance, and Aetsen saw in his eyes an idea forming, one she knew she wouldn't like. She shook her head at him, but she knew he wouldn't change his mind. It was their only way out of this mess.

"Ksirb." Elppans whispered.

"What?" Ksirb whispered back.

"When I give you the word, slip the knife you're hiding out of you sleeve and cut yourself free, then help me attack the beast on _your_ right." Ksirb gave a start of surprise.

"How'd you know about that?" he hissed.

"That doesn't matter, just do what I said! I'm willing to trust you on this, Ksirb. Are you willing to trust me?" he asked, pulling out his voulge and taking a few experimental swings. Ksirb only looked down at the ground, the decision weighing down on him like a ballast. But before he could think on it any further, one of the beasts leaped up and landed on Elppans' back, grabbing for his throat.

It all seemed to happen at once. The short blade slipped out of his sleeve and into his hand, slicing through the binds in one go, turning around and leaping up, running the creature through as he pulled it off his brother, and then they struck out together.

It was incredible. Even with all the years since they had last fought together, the synergy they employed was still just as strong as it always had been.

Aetsen dashed about, leaping off walls and jabbing the creatures with her daggers like lightning, a grim smile on all three of their faces as they decimated the legion.

The man stood in shock as the battle was lost to him, then scrambled as fast as he could to the door. He didn't get very far.

"Oh, no you don't!" Aetsen cried, leaping up and off of Ksirb's shoulder in an impressive stunt before tackling the man to the ground. 

Elppans and Ksirb strolled over, standing over him with contempt for his cowardice.

"I"ll admit, that was quite impressive." the man said with an effort (it was hard, given Aetsen's foot on his throat). "But it's going to take a lot more than that to snuff out this flame." he said when suddenly, the door burst open, and dozens more of the creatures flooded into the room , at least thrice as many as the last bunch.

they were surrounded once again. The creatures helped the man to his feet, that devilish smile back on his face.

"What?" he asked haughtily. "You thought those were all that I brought with me?" he laughed again.

Elppans and Ksirb tensed up, both ready for the next fight. Aetsen shook her head at them.

"Nothing's even changed. You two still don't know when to cut and run." she muttered. She reached into her pouch, pulling out an orb of her own, this one glowing a bright shade of turquoise, crackling with a powerful energy.

"Elppans! Ksirb! Grab hold!" she shouted, getting into the space between them. The brothers looked down at her, then looked to each other. Nodding, they sheathed their weapons and laid a hand on each of the goddess' shoulders as she cracked the orb open with her dagger.

"_Stop them!_" the man screamed, dashing toward the trio as fast as the heavy armor he wore would allow, but he was too slow. The orb shattered in Aetsen's hand, the energy hidden within spreading and enveloping the three where they stood. The creatures dove through the air as they tried to stop them, only to collide with each other mid-flight as their targets vanished, only leaving behind a small circle of ashes.

The man snarled. He seized one of the creature by it's neck and lifted it to it's feet.

"Get a message to the rest of the Magistrate. We've got stragglers." he ordered. The creature slipped out of his grasp and scrambled out of the courtroom, the rest of it's brethren following suit, leaving the man to stew in his failure.

**Elsewhere...**

Serpentine wrapped the cloak Kyo had loaned him tighter around his body. The chilly, mid-autumn day had come with unexpectedly, and the mystic didn't want him going out today without an extra layer. He'd tried to explain to her that he didn't need anything since he had such an unnaturally high body temperature, but Kyo never really changed her mind once she had it set on something. There was something admirable to that, you had to admit.

Exhaling, he observed his visible breath as he surveyed the outskirts of the town that stood near their current place of hiding.

This place was one of bitter memories for many in the Mystic Order. Some of them had spent most of their waking lives growing up here, powerless to stop the Magistrate as they subjected the residents, forcing them to reject their beliefs in the gods, as well as their teachings. Nowadays, the place was a shell of it's former self, with very few smiling faces throughout. The overall hopelessness and despair of the place could get really depressing if you spent too much time there, which he hopefully wouldn't have to do today, so long as no undesirables came looking for their little group.

Just as he was about to head back and call it a day however, he noticed them.

Three figures, two males and one female, wandering the streets as if they had no clue where in the world they were. And judging from the way they were dressed and armed, that was exactly true.

Stardust, Victoria, and Kyo had told him many stories about them and their great deeds, and after the horrific recent events that had left Victoria permanently scarred, he had first-hand experience with the second man.

These three were the hallowed Elppans, Aetsen, and Ksirb. What brought them or why they were here, he didn't know. But he needed to get them out of here. Now.

Moving quickly, he got their attention and motioned towards a nearby alley before disappearing inside. Tentatively, Aetsen led the trio in after him.

"What is going on here?" she asked. "This place is nothing like what it was before. What happened?"

"The Magistrate happened." Serpentine said as he revealed himself to the three. Ksirb cringed as he finally recognized him.

"Oh. _You_." he said.

"Yes." Serpentine replied. "_Me_."

"Is-" Ksirb began. "-I-Is he okay?" he asked with a regretful tone and face.

"Victoria's alive and well. He's actually quite happy with how he is now, though that can't be said for how the others feel about what happened. Especially concerning you." he answered neutrally.

"Can't really blame them for that." Ksirb said, turning his face away. 

Moving past him, Serpentine edged up against the wall and peeked out around the corner of the wall. A few of the townspeople were staring in their direction with suspicious looks on their faces. They needed to move.

"You're not safe here." he began. "The people have lost their faith in you, and the few that still believe in you are likely to call on the guards, blaming your for their misery. There's a camp nearby that's safe for you. You need to come with me." he said, turning to face the three.

Elppans and Aetsen looked to each other, neither of them quite sure of what to do. Nothing was the same and the rules they knew no longer seemed to apply here.

"Let's go with him." The two looked to Ksirb, his face set with the decision. "The world of man has drastically changed and we are surrounded by enemies. We need to understand why." 

Elppans and Aetsen faced each other again, and nodded. "Where is this camp of yours, friend?" Aetsen asked eagerly. 

Serpentine smiled. "Follow me. And try not to stand out from the crowd. I'd rather avoid detection." 

Exiting the alley, the trio followed Serpentine away from the town, eventually being led into a thick forest, where they eventually began to hear the distinct sound of a coin being flipped over and over again. Walking further, the person flipping the coin came into sight.

She was leaning against an old tree trunk, her eyes focused on the coin as it landed in her hand before flipping it again. She was dressed simply: a somewhat patchy pair of long pants fitted into her leather boots, the azure hooded robe she wore concealing most of her face and features, although a loose strand of silvery hair rested just above her eyes. Not to mention this woman carried quite a few knives. Some were smaller and ideal for throwing at long-distance targets, and then there were the ones fixated on the small of her back, long enough to basically be called short swords. Then there was the large money pouch that her other hand never left. Always the telltale sign of a thief. 

This woman was obviously a lookout for the camp that Serpentine told them about, but she hardly seemed to be doing her job all that well. At least, that's what Aetsen thought until the woman spoke without even looking up at them.

"You're finally back. Something grab your attention back in town, Snake?" the woman asked in a wry tone.

"If you were actually giving your job the full attention it requires, you'd have noticed what kept me, Ash." Serpentine replied. 

"I'm not blind, you know. I can tell that you're not alone, I just don't know who it is you've-" she started, but cut herself once she looked over at the three behind him. Specifically Ksirb. 

Even through the dark hood she wore, Ksirb could clearly see the woman glaring intensely at him, before shifting that glare towards Serpentine.

"You know, you could've brought _anybody_ else back with you, and I would've been fine. Hell, you could've came back saying that the Magistrate was on it's way and we needed to leave and I still would've been fine. But _him_." she said, pointing a loathing finger at Ksirb. "Why did you have to bring _him_ here?" Serpentine held up his hands, trying to relax her.

"Ash, you need to listen-"

"No, you need to listen! He can't be trusted! Vic almost _died_ because of what he did, and now you bring him here and expect me to just let things go?" she was shouting now, in a none too kind tone. Aetsen looked over to Ksirb, who looked like he'd rather have been taken by those creatures than have been here being reminded of what he did. The woman was about to go off on another tangent, but before she could, there was a sudden rustling in the bushes a few metres behind her. Another figure appeared out of them, this one all too familiar to Ksirb.

"Ash? Serpentine? What's going on here?" he asked, and then he noticed them. Eyes wide, he bent slightly at the waist and struck his forearm across his chest, saluting the three.

"Lord and Lord and Lady. I am honored to be in your presence." he said with reverence. Ash wheeled on the newcomer.

"Vic! Are you seriously calling _him_ that? You almost died because of him. He almost turned you into one of those.......things!" she shouted at him, hardly believing what she seeing. Victoria took her by the shoulders.

"Ash! You need to relax! I'm here, I'm alive, I'm fine, and I've now been gifted with new abilities I never would've had before. Really, **I don't see the issue**. Can you just let it go, please? For me?" he asked. Ash looked down.

"But-" she started.

"Please?" Vic asked again. Ash sighed dramatically.

"Fine. But the second he gets another one of us hurt, I'm going to have his head on a pike. Got it?" she said threateningly.

"If that happens, you'll have to beat me to it." Serpentine replied.

"You're not helping." Ksirb said through clenched teeth. Aetsen and Elppans stared in bewilderment. Victoria caught on, and quickly beckoned them forward.

"Oh, please come join us! Honestly, I didn't think we'd be seeing any of you again for a long time! This is amazing!" he said as the group all followed him through the bushes.

There were many more introductions and praises to be made after that, as well as many more times that people needed to be talked out of their open hostility towards Ksirb. After that, the group and the newcomers had sat around a blue bonfire as Elppans regaled them the tale of what brought them to this world. It seemed that the humans knew more about those creatures than they did. Apparently, they were what remained of the mysteriously gifted lost civilization known as the Kyptorians, a precursor people responsible for creating many of the magical monoliths that remained in the world today. 

They also learned that the mystic's name was Victoria IX, and he was the eldest member of the Mystic Order in the group, and that Serpentine, the man who had brought them here, was a natural pyromancer hailing from the Eastern regions.

Speaking of Serpentine, Elppans noticed that the warrior hadn't said much, merely sitting at the edge of the blaze, staring into the embers. Everyone else had given their reasons for being here and all, but he hadn't.

"And what of you, Easterner?" he asked. "You haven't said much tonight." 

"That's just what he does." Ash answered for him. "He thinks that the less he says, the more intelligent the stuff he does say will sound." she said with a smarmy grin. Serpentine rolled his eyes at her.

"You're lucky I'm beyond being goaded by your petty kicks, Ash." he muttered before standing and facing the god.

"To be honest, I'm not sure why you ask me. I'm the cynic among the fanatics, someone who only joined out of sharing a common goal with these brave people and admiring their spirits." he began, softly smiling as he gazed at the people around the fire with him before continuing. "I come from a land where people believe in you, but they don't exactly elevate you onto a pedestal as they used to do around here. I always believed you existed, but I don't see you as much different compared to the people you're surrounded by. You're born with amazing gifts-" he said, waving his palm as he sparked a flame there. "-just like the rest of us." Elppans nodded slowly. 

"So, does this mean you'll have us?" he asked. Serpentine tilted his head slightly.

"You wish to help us?" he asked back. Aetsen nodded.

"Yes. We've failed the people of this world, letting scum like the Magistrate rob them of their free will. We need to fix our mistakes. There's no better place for us to start than here." she said enthusiastically. Victoria went up and stood next to Serpentine.

"Then we are honored to welcome you to the Mystic Order. The Magistrate will rue the day it tried taking over any world. We'll make sure of that. Starting now."

There was much celebration after that. A few hours later, after all the others had gone to rest, Elppans, Aetsen, and Ksirb were left sitting by the fire as it burned down to it's last embers.

"There's still one thing I don't understand, though." Ksirb said. The other two looked at him.

"And what is that, brother?" Elppans asked. Ksirb pointed an accusing finger at him.

"How did you know I had the knife?" he asked. Elppans grinned at him.

"Lucky guess." he said mischievously. Aetsen giggled at Ksirb as he narrowed his eyes at his brother.

"I know that's a lie. But being that you're the brother of me, it's hardly going to be worth the trouble of getting the real answer out of you, isn't it?" he asked, already knowing the answer.

"No. No, no it's not." Elppans replied before joining Aetsen in her laughter.

And although he wouldn't ever admit it to anyone, Ksirb ended up joining in as well.

**Author's Note:**

> So, hope you enjoyed that. I'm trying to build up to going back to working on my multi-chapter story later in the future, but alas, writing does not come easily to me. 
> 
> So yeah, see you next time. Friendzone out.


End file.
